Wednesday, August 25, 2010

With over 400 video recipes produced thus far, it probably seems odd that I'd never done a proper chicken stock recipe. In the early days of the blog, I decided that I wouldn’t do video recipes that would eventually appear in the online culinary academy curriculum.

I had planned on having a selection of videos featuring key techniques that people would pay to watch, but with all the various projects going on, I've never quite been able to get that together. Anyway, this chicken stock video recipe would have been included in that collection.

While I can often be seen using my carton of all-natural chicken broth, there's nothing like homemade. It does take a long time to simmer, but the actual work is minimal, and the procedure quite simple. It's also a very frugal undertaking, with the bones I used costing 80-cents a pound. That's three quarts of chicken stock for about $3 in costs!

Please note that you can use this exact same recipe/procedure with roasted chicken bones. In fact, most of the homemade chicken stocks I make are the result of a roast chicken dinner, but for this video I decided to go classical. Unlike beef and veal, chicken stock is not traditionally made from roasted bones.

You should try both ways, and see which you like, and for what dishes. By the way, even though I didn't roast the chicken bones, I still got quite a nice, richly colored stock, which comes in large part to leaving the skins on the onions. I don't remember exactly why that is, which is fine since I really I don't care that much. Enjoy!

I always wondered about roasting the bones for a stock. I mean, the reason that you're supposed to bring the stock up slowly to a simmer is to encourage all the gelatin to leech out of the bones before the heat sets it and traps it in the bones. Wouldn't the heat of roasting do the same thing?

there is some natural color present in onion skins - when I was a kid in Eastern Europe we brewed onion skins and used the "onion tea" for coloring Easter eggs (they turn out reddish-brown, just like brown eggs). Don't ask why.

I've been making chicken stock for years but I did not know that I should simmer it for 12 hours. I have always stopped at about 3 or 4 hours. I don't even know why. I am so excited to make 12 hour stock! Is it important to leave the lid off the pot?

In one of my Hordon Ramsay books, he explains that stocks aren't salted because they are often used in sauces which are most likely going to be reduced. As it is reducing the water of course vapors away but most of the salt remains in your sauce which might result in too salty sauces.

I was wondering, since it takes so long to make, would it be possible to heat it op on a stove and then transfer it to baking tray and into an oven, letting it sit there on a lower temperature (like 140°F) for 12 hours (perhaps even covering it with some tin foil so the water doesn't evaporate that fast).

I prefer to wait until the scum is removed before adding the aromatics so they don't stand in my way when I scum. I never simmered it fo 12 hours. I will definitely do it. Learned something about onion skins. Thanks.

What is your opinion on throwing the garbage part of vegetables into the mix, such as the ends of asparagus, the woody part of broccoli, the part of the pepper that you don't use, etc. ? Good idea or bad?

I am so going to try this. I was wondering where on earth I was going to find chicken backs and necks when low and behold in the frozen Section at my local supermarket I suddenly spied something that looked suspicious and low and behold there they were. I must have walked by them a thousand times before and never saw them ... Super cheap as well.

Anon, I think I'll soon have to find out with that slow cooker. I was hoping that Chef John would come out with some revolutionary super efficient tecnique to make stock like he did with that chicken wing eating technique but this seems to take as mind numbingly long as it ever did.

It's about flippin' time! I know how to make chicken stock but I've been enjoying your take on recipes so much that I've been eager to try your chicken stock recipe!

Just one question: Does it matter if you simmer it covered or uncovered? I've always simmered with a cover under the notion it would reduce less. Then you wouldn't have to keep adding splashes of water and diluting your broth. If that's a myth, please set the record straight!

Chef John, the slow cooker point is more of a psychological one. For a lot of folks, it just feels a lot safer to leave a slow cooker on and forget about it than a pot on a lit stove. Youd be surprised how many people have actually managed to burn their pots at some point in time.

Very nice. I keep putting off making stock because of lack of freezer space. So now I'm putting it off until I pull the trigger on a 15.5qt pressure canner. As soon as I get one of those bad boys, I'll be a stock canning fool. The nice thing about that All American pit, it cans, but that heavy mutha can make a bunch of gumbo and chili too. As soon as I have a spare $170 to throw at more kitchen stuff...

This is probably over kill but I found when I was skimming off the scum I didn't think I was doing a very good job as I felt I was losing too much of the good stuff and leaving behind too much scum. So I decided to try and salvage it.

I got a strainer and lined it with a couple layers of cheesecloth. I just put the sieve over a pot, held it in my left hand and spooned/skimmed the scum in. I stopped worrying about taking too much broth and simply poured the clarified broth back into the pot occasionally then continued until all the scum was gone. The result was a wonderfully clear broth, no waste and a cheesecloth loaded with scum which I then discarded :)

thank you. finally! i've always wanted to make chicken stock, but not sure how long it will last. now, i know. i will, definitely, follow your method.

by the way, thanks for the search bar. it sure makes searching for recipes a lot quicker. i love it! you just don't know how many meals you've served in this household ;) i sure learned a lot of cooking techniques from you. kudos!

hello !i'm from France, i have family in USA (CO) and like to go there often (but alas they don't cook much)

don't you have/use an "écumoire" (french word, i can't found it in english) to clear your chiken stock ?if you see what i mean :http://www.coupdepouce.com/img/photos/biz/CoupDePouce/cuisine/bouillon2.jpg

I have made many stocks over the years with a few different methods, if I froze it, it would be like two pounds in a plastic bag and I would hack off what I needed, freeze it in not used Ice trays, simple, brilliant, thanks chef

this is my 1st visit to your blog. i stumbled onto your foodwishes.com site yesterday and have thoroughly enjoyed the recipes, videos (love visuals, easier to follow) and the jocularity... or truthful-sarcasm... or whatever you want to label it... anywho, it's entertaining! hey and love the recipes too:). regarding making stock...are the veggies too far gone after 12 hrs. to use in another dish... hate to waste food. any ideas for their use? many thanks... enjoy your PNW trip. i live in NoCal (Sac. foothills) but am doing a road trip w/hubby & doggie in OR and currently wireless @ family in sunriver, OR. we’re here hunting elk & deer... any good recipes?? beautiful & 80's here!!

Another great video! I've been making stock for a few years now thanks to an exhaustive tutorial I found on the Egullet website. One thing I learned there that is especially applicable for people who are concerned about storage space - after straining and letting it cool down so the fat rises to the top and solidifies, I remove that, and return the stock to the pot and simmer it down to a thick syrupy consistency. My 18 quart stockpot worth of stock is reduced down to just a few cups this way. I freeze most of it in 1/2 - 1 cup measures and reconstitute as needed. The plus side is that I can add just half a teaspoon of this to a recipe and get that amazing hit of flavor without watering my dish down. I don't cook spinach any other way now!

Thanks, Chef John. I actually didn't watch this video for awhile because I thought my stock technique was pitch perfect. I make great, gelatinous stock. When I learned the secret of clear stock as gentle simmering years ago I was convinced my life was complete. But I see a couple of things I want to try. You chop your veges much larger than I do and then simmer the stock twice as long. Hmmm. I'm going to see if that makes a difference over my five hours and 1/2 inch dice that I use.

Thanks, Chef John. I actually didn't watch this video for awhile because I thought my stock technique was pitch perfect. I make great, gelatinous stock. When I learned the secret of clear stock as gentle simmering years ago I was convinced my life was complete. But I see a couple of things I want to try. You chop your veges much larger than I do and then simmer the stock twice as long. Hmmm. I'm going to see if that makes a difference over my five hours and 1/2 inch dice that I use.

One thing that I always do when making Chicken stock is to add a pork leg bone into the recipe because it has lots of gelatine in them and gives it great body. Also I always put the bones on there own into cold water bring them to the boil then drain of all the water, I find that it helps to get rid of the impurities in the bones. Then when I have finished the stock and strained it I reduce until its really thick it will turn into a jelly, that way it will keep for longer.

lol i must realllllllly suck at cooking or smth.. i left this to barely simmering (no bubbles even) and before it hit the 10 hr mark everything evaporated!!!note: i added splashes of water at around hour intervals.. decided not to add more water at the 8.5 hour cause there wasnt much taste.. came back almost at the 10th hour and everythign was gone..

haha just wanted to share a funny story of my fail @_@... but at the same time pretty sad i didnt get my chicken stock :(

Had to compare notes with you on stock making.I do use a crock pot, as I have cats and don't trust them home alone if the stove's on. When set it to low, and checked on occasionally, it works perfectly.I think I read that one of the posts said they add the thyme and bay after skimming. I figured that out just a couple of months ago, and it does make skimming easier.At some point I heard that the stock needs to cool uncovered, or it might become cloudy. I've always put it into the fridge and removed the fat that solidifies, and then put it into jars. I like your idea of cooling it, and letting the fat help to seal air out.You are the best Chef John.Thanks for the post.

I accidentally stumbled across one of your cooking videos and then tried to find more because I thought;"WOW, This guy is good!" And now I've found your blog. Great presentations. Excellent teacher. I could listen to you all day long.

This should totally come with a warning that you need 12 hours plus. I got half way through the video, went and started my stock and then realized I'm going to be up really late. OR I need to watch videos all the way through before I go start. *blush* I got excited.

Hey chef john, i really love your website and i've adapted alot of the techniques you use for my own purposes.

Got a question, if you roast a whole turkey or chicken can you roast the bones a second time and then make stock? I usually make stock with the once roasted carcasses of birds i have eaten :) But i've never tried roasting them. And i was surprised to see your beef and chicken stock recipes use new bones.....

My mom bought me an 8 qt stockpot for Christmas because I've been cooking for years and have always wanted to try soups. Do you think the 8 quart pot is large enough for this recipe and your soup recipes?

I just made this again yesterday to help me recover from a cold. This recipe is tried and true - it makes authentic chicken stock, just like my Jewish grandma used to make...well, if I had a grandma who used to make stock, and if she was Jewish....

The flexibility of adding salt later is perfect so I can balance the flavors of what I'm cooking.

Thank you Chef John for continually teaching techniques in your videos, and not just recipes. Although I've been cooking at home for over 30 years, I've become a much more capable cook from watching your videos for the past 4 years. Thank you for your great work! This is still the best food blog on the internet!

Nice tutorial as usual, chef :)One question though: You used bones that still had a lot of fresh meat on them. Is that necessary or can I just use the leftover bones from, let's say, my superbowl wings or a rotissery chicken? Does the meat add a lot of flavor?Thanks :)

Ho Chef John,First off want to thank you, been on the web cook search for a while and you bring it home, the right combo of professional and basic home/amateur, getting priorities right, and that great presentation that is uniquely yours.While I'm on the subject, I'd be happy to show my appreciation to your benefit but I'm dumb on internet stuff (I went to youtube to "like" videos)… maybe post like an FAQ for this what would be good for you? question please regarding meat stocks (I went throu all your posts on this): I'm not in the US and can't get cartons of liquid stock, only the powders with max 5% meat and 95% gunk. I like my occasional junk food but I cook clean.I've learned and used instead wine, beer and always the basic mirepoix, all good, but it's not stock.do you have any suggestions for substitutes besides the above? (doing stock won't be easy for me).cheers

Chef, I got confused between a stock and the chicken demi glace. I put my beautiful, clear (ran in through a kitchen towel) stock back into the pot and brought it to a boil to reduce. IT TURNED GREEN! It's a nasty greenish graying color and it didn't even gel like a demi glace. It's just an ugly stock. Was it the boiling after straining that did that? Any ideas? I'm sure it's fine to use if Sam I Am comes for lunch. :(